Speed controlling and arresting mechanism for sewing-machines.



y G. E. MOLYNEUX. SPEED coNTRoLLlNG AND ARHESTING MECHANISMEOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I4. I9II.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

A TTUHNEI G. E. IVIOLYNEUX.

SPEED CONTROLLING AND ARRESTING MECHANISIVI FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented. Aug. 14,1917.

APPLICATION` FILED IULY I4, 191|.

G. E. MOLYNEUX.

SPEED CONTROLKLING AND ARRESTING MECHANISIVI FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14.1911.

1 ,"236,739. E Patented Aug. 14,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WIT/VESSES.- 155 l/vl/E/vli? @ZM Ger/rye/E 1%@71614/06. 0f 5M By l A TTOR/VEV G. E. MOLYNEUX.

vSPEED. CONTROLLING AND ARRESTING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION mEn1uLY14.19l|.

1,236,739. Patented Aug. 14,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WIT/VESSES: v [NVE/WOR @afiche/M GWEMQHM Br Y ' AHORA/Ey GEORGE E. IVIOLYN EUX, OF BAYONNE, NEVI JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SPEED CONTROLLING AND ARRESTNG IVIECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed July 14, 1911.

T all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bayonne, in the county of Hudson andv State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed Controlling and Arresting Mechanism for Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in a speed-controlling and arresting mechanism for sewing machines, and has for its object to provide automatic means for determining the speed of the machine when it is acted upon to discontinue its operation, and means for automatically determining the position of rest of the needle with respect to its limit of movement.

The details of the improvements and their operation will more fully appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying` drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a sectional view in front side elevation, representing a feed-up-the-arm sewing machine embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sewing machine with the base of the bracket-arm in section, the overhanging member removed and the cover-plate for the work-support omitted. Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are details, in perspective, of the improved mechanism. Fig. 7 is a front end view of the cylinder-bed or work-supporting horn and one form of commonly employed power transmitter for effecting and discontinuing the transmission of power. Fig. 8 is a rear side elevation of the transmitter shown in Fig. 7 i

For a proper understanding of the application of the present invention, it is herein shown and described as applied to the sewing machine construction represented by my United States Patent No. 1,111,167, September 22, 1914, but as the present invention is applicable to sewing machine constructions generally, only such reference will be made to the details in construction of the stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanisms as is deemed important to an understanding of the invention.

The frame of the machine is shown formed with a hollow base 1, standard 2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Serial No. 638,473.

overhanging bracket-arm 3 provided with a head 4, and cylinder-bed or work-supporting horn 5 having its flange 6 secured by screws, as 7, to said base. The standard is provided at its rear end with a bearing boss 8 containing the bushing 9 in which is journaled the rear end of .the main-shaft 10 fitted within a bearing member 11 formed upon the rearward end of the work-supporting horn 5, the reduced forward portion 12 of said main-shaft being journaled in a bearing boss 13.

The bracket-arm is provided at its rearward end with a bearing boss 14 in which is ournaled the rearward end of the needleactuating rock-shaft 15 whose forward end is iitted to and passes through the bearing member 16 in the head 4 where it is provided with the usual crank-arm 17 carrying a pin 18 connected by means of a pitman 19 with a lateral pin formed integral with the collar 2O fixed upon the needle-bar 21 carrying the eye-pointed needles, as 22. Upon the rearward end of the rock-shaft 15 is fixed a lateral crank-arm 23 which carries a stud 24 embraced by the upper end of a pitman 25 whose lower end embraces a crank 26 formed in the main-shaft 10 and adapted to communicate, through the described connecting mechanism, reciprocating movements to the needle-bar and needles.

The needle-actuating rock-shaft 15 has fixed thereon, at the side of the bearing boss 14 opposite the crank-arm 23, a second lateral crank-arm 27 carrying a screw-stud 28 (shown in dotted lines only, Fig. 1) embraced by the upper end of the pitman rod 29 whose lower end embraces a screw-stud 30 intermediate the ends of a vibrating lever 31 having one end journaled upon the fixed fulcrum-pin 32 mounted in an inwardly projecting boss 33 formed upon the standard 2. rlhe outer end of the lever 31 is provided with a suitable screw-pin (not shown) connected by means of a link 34 with a similar pin (not shown) carried by a crank-arm 35 fixed upon the rearward end of the looper rock-shaft 36, whereby the latter is caused to transmit, through its attached looper-carrier 37, loop-seizing and shedding movements to the looper 38.

The sidewise or needle-avoiding movements are imparted to the looper 38 by means of an actuating cam 39 secured upon the forward end of the main-shaft extension 12 by means of a suitable set-screw (not shown) and provided with a peripheral cam-groove 41. Journaled in the bearing member 42, beneath and parallel with the looper rock-shaft 36, is a reciprocating rod 48 formed on one side with a suitable spline (not shown) to prevent its turning while permitting its free endwise movements, and having adjustably secured to its rearward end by means of set-screws, as 44, a collar with a rearwardly extending arm 46 carrying a roller-stud 47 entering the groove 41 of the cam 39, from which it derives its reciprocatory movements. ln the reduced forward end portion 49 of the rod 43 is secured the shank 50 of a ball-stud whose spherical portion 51 is fitted within suitably socketed independent sections, as 52, of a receiving block which is in turn fitted within the segmental raceway 53 of the loopercarrier 37, whereby the latter is permitted to oscillate freely with its supporting shaft.

The feed-eccentric 54 is embraced by the strap 55 of an eccentric-rod 56 whose opposite end embraces a ball-eccentric upon the rearwardly extending arm 57 of a pluralarmed rocker mounted upon the liked fulcrum-stud 58 carried by the lug 59 extending inwardly from the wall of the base 1, and having a second laterally extending arm 60 carrying a ball-stud embraced by a strap 61 at the rearward end of the feedbar 62 eX- tending longitudinally through the worksupporting horn 5 above the rock-shaft 36 and formed near its forward end with a reduced cylindrical portion 63, to which latter is secured the slide-block 64 channeled in its upper side to receive the shank 65 of the serrated feed-dog 66 secured therein by means of the fastening screw 67.

To the reduced intermediate portion 63 of the feed-bar 62 is slidingly iitted a tilting bearing or fulcrum-block 68 formed with lateral bosses, as 69, which are entered by fulcrum-screws, as 70, passing through the opposite members of a yoke 71 embracing said fulcrum-block and formed at the upper end of an upright lifting bai1 or post 7 2, the latter apertured at its lower end to form a strap 7 3 to embrace the feed-lifting eccentric 74 Xed on the reduced forward portion 12 of the shaft 10 adjacent the cam-cylinder 39. The post 72 has also a clearance aperture intermediate its ends through which passes the looper rockeshaft 36.

As will be observed, the longitudinal reciprocating movements of the feed-bar for effecting the advance of the work up the arm of the machine toward the standard 2 is produced through its described connections with the feed-actuating eccentric 54, while the rising and falling movements of the feed-dog are produced by the feed-lifting eccentric 74 through the post- 7 2 and tilting bearing 68 swiveled therein.

75 represents the presser-foot whose shank 76 is rigidly secured to the lower end of the presser-bar 77 journaled in suitable bearings in the head 4 of the bracket-arm, a camshaped lever 78 acting on a lug 79 to raise said presser-bar in opposition to the resiliency of the spring 80 to accommodate the manual manipulation of the fabric being acted on, and 81 represents the needle-thread tension.

Having described suflicient of the sewing machine stitch-forming and cloth-feeding mechanism for an understanding of the application of the present invention, there will now be described one form of well-understood means for operatively connecting the sewing machine mainor driving shaft with the source of power.

82 represents a power-transmitter bracket secured by screws, as 83, to the under side of the table 84 and provided at its lower end with a hub 85 into which is secured by screw 86 a non-rotating shaft 87 which extends to the right of said hub, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 7, and upon which is mounted to rotate the power-driven pulley 88, in practice connected by a suitable belt not shown) with the source of power, and the machine driving pulley 89 connected by the belt 90 with the pulley 91 carried by the main-shaft 10. As is well understood, when the treadle 92 is rocked in the direction indicated by the arrow t, the connecting rod 93 moves the inclined surface 94 into contact with the shaft thimble 95 whose inner end contacts with the surface 96 of the pulley 88, causing the latter to be forced into driving contact with the leather 97 carried by the pulley 89. The lever 98, having the inclined surface 94, is secured by screw 99 on the rock-shaft 100 mounted to oscillate in a hub 101 forming a part of the bracket 82, the opposite end of said rock-shaft having secured to it by screw 102 an arm 103 carrying a brake 104 and provided with a lug 105, and between said lug and a lug 106, forming a part of the bracket 82, is confined a spring 107 which normally acts to hold said brake in contact with the rim 108 of the pulley 89. 108 represents a guard-bracket secured by a screw 108 to the shaft 87.

The foregoing is descriptive of a preferred form of well-understood construction of power-transmitting mechanism, but it is to be understood that many other forms common to commercial use might be substituted, as, for instance, such constructions as employ a loose and tight pulley mounted on the mainshaft of the sewing machine` as represented by the United States Patent to A. D. Pentz, No. 281,189, dated August 17, 1880; and further, if a sewing machine equipped with the present invention was controlled to operate at a. comparatively low speed (1000 or less stitches per minute),

the employment of a power-transmitter equipped with a brake device could be dispensed with in favor of the ordinary loose and tight pulley and shifting belt.

There will now be described the mechanism comprising the subject of the invention.

To the base 1 is secured by screws, as 109, a stop-disk 110 concentric with the shaft 10, said disk being provided with a curvilinear recess 111 in which are arranged springs 112 and 113 the adjacent ends of which are arranged on opposite sides of and in contact with the guide-block 114 to which is secured by screws as 123 the resistance member 115, and upon the periphery of said disk is secured by screws, as 116, a stop-bracket 117. 118 represents a brake-disk mounted upon the shaft 10 to move in the direction of the length of the latter and secured to rotate with said shaft by suitable splines (not shown) secured in suitable guideways (not shown) formed in said shaft and coacting with the respective grooves 119 and 120 formed in the hub 121 of said brake-disk, which latter carries a stop member 122 secured by suitable screws, as 123.

Adjustably secured on the shaft 10 by suitable screws, as 124, is a spider-collar 125 provided with lugs, as 126, each forked to embrace the respective bellcrank-levers, as 127, provided with arms, as 128, carrying spherical weights, as 129, and pivoted to the respective lugs by means of suitable screws, as 130, a spring 131 interposed between the fixed collar 125 and the brake-disk 118 normally serving` to hold the stop member 122 within the peripheral opening 132 formed in the disk 110 and extending from the wall 133 to the incline 134, for a purpose later to be explained.

135 represents an L-shaped lever pivotally mounted in a notched standard 136 secured in the base 1, one arm of said lever being connected by an expanding connection 137 with the treadle 92. The other arm of said lever is forked to engage a grooved collar 138 loosely mounted on a stud-bolt 139 secured in the side wall of said base, said stud-bolt being provided at its inner end with a flange 140 against which steps one end of a spring 141 which serves to resiliently hold the said collar against the inner wall of said base. 142 represents a shifting lever piv-otedupon screw 143 threaded into a bracket 144 extending inward from the base 1 and provided at one end with a roller-stud 145 which enters the groove in the collar 138, the opposite end of said shifting lever being provided with a stud 146 which coacts with a cam-lever 147 pivoted upon a screw 148 secured in the disk 110. rThe inner end 149 of said cam-lever enters a groove 150 formed in the shifting collar 151 loosely mounted on the main-shaft 10 and located between the inner wall of the base 1 and the brake-disk 118 carrying the stop-member 122.

The free ends of the arms 128 are provided with inclines, as 152, which, when the machine is in operation, coaot with the inclined surface 153, through the centrifugal action of the weights 129, to hold the rotating stop member 122 out of engagement with the resistance member 115, as will now be explained.

Supposing the machine to be at rest as illustrated in Fig. 2, the operator rocks the treadle 92 in the direction indicated by the arrow t which first acts on the expanding connection 137 to oscillatethe L-shaped lever 135 and, through the connections 138, 142, 147 and 151, moves the brake-disk 118, in opposition to the resiliency of the spring 131, away from the stop-disk 110 a distance suflicient to disengage the members 115 and 122, or in position to permit the shaft 10 to be rotated, the spring 154 permitting the treadle to be brought in contact with the nut 155 and, through the connection 93, causing the incline 94 to operatively connect the pulley 88 with the friction leather 97 carried by the machine driving pulley 89, thus first releasing the main-shaft from the control of the stop mechanism, followed by the transmission of power from the supply to said main-shaft.

1n manually adjusting the brake-disk 118 away from the stopdisk 110, the lever 135 is limited in its movement by the adjustment of the wingedscrew 156 to move said brakedisk only suiicient to allow the stop member 122 in its rotations to clear the resistance member 115, thus adjusting the arms 128 of the bellerank-lever 127 with respect to the incline 153 of the brake-disk 118 so that the corners, as 157, of said arms are carried only slightly down the incline 153 of said disk 118, in which relationship they are held by the centrifugal action of the weights 129 until the transmission of power is discontinued, when, if the brake 104 is employed, the speed of the machine will commence to slacken almost instantly, which results in said weights releasing the corners 157 from engagement with then incline 153, and as soon as the straight surfaces, as 158, of said arms are brought in alinement with the straight surface 159 of the brake-disk 118 the spring 131 forces the stop member 122 into engagement with the 4resistance member 115, which latter acts to cushion said stop member to the extent of its contacting with the stop bracket 117, when the action of the springs 111 and 112 will register the member 122 in its normal or shaft registering position. l

Should the speed of the main-shaft exceed that necessary to cause the weights to register the corners 157 with respect to the incline 153 as previously pointed out, the centrifugal action of said Weights Will cause the inclines 152 to travel down the incline 153 as shown in Fig. 1, When the brake-disk 11S will be adjusted beyond the limit of movement of the collar 151, thus releasing the shaft 10 from all rictional engagement with he elements comprising the speedcontrolling and arresting members carried by said shaft.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is A speed controlling and arresting mechanism including a main-shaft, a brake-disk slidably mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith and provided With a rim, said rim having an inclined Wall, a collar xedly secured upon said shaft and provided With bellcranlr-levers the outer free ends of each of which carries a centrifugally controlled Weight, means for moving said brakedisk in one direction, the oppositely arranged free ends of said bellcrank-levers being provided With an inclined Wall engaging the inclined Wall of said slidable brake-disk and coperating with said means for moving the brake-disk in one direction whereby the sliding movement of said brake-disk is controlled and a iXed brake member provided with a stop for arresting the rotation of said collar and shaft in a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof7 I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX.

Vitnesses F. W. OsTRAM, W'. P. STEWART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti, Washington, D. C. 

